Under the spotlight with Tunstall Group’s Squad Leader & Technical Author

Tunstall is a leading provider of technology enabled care solutions for health, housing and social care. Laura Collie, Squad Leader & Technical Author at Tunstall Group shares her career journey, her experiences of being an employee at Tunstall and shares her advice on choosing the right employer.

Tell me about your career journey, including where you started to where you are now?

I started as a response centre operator whilst studying for my BA and subsequently my MA. I sought out more responsibility, progressing through more senior roles to a management and quality role before I crossed into the software department as a Technical Author. I found my feet in the world of software before I then took the opportunity to apply for a squad lead role, leading (our version of) a scrum team alongside my TA responsibilities. This has allowed me to develop my skills in agile, people management and delivery.

What company do you work for and what are they like as an employer?

I work for Tunstall Group.  I have been with the company for over 12 years now, so they must be doing something right! They offer a range of benefits as well as having a core ethos of independent living for all.  Everyone who works here is dedicated and really believes in what we do.  In recent years they have made great strides in bringing the company into the future and are still working on improvements for all colleagues with WIT initiatives planned for the upcoming years, as well as frameworks being built to enable opportunities for career progression beyond their current offering.

How has your employer given you opportunities to thrive?

Tunstall have provided an environment and tools for great leaders to support their teams. With “servant leadership” in the software space, the team is trusted to innovate and progress not just with the software solutions we work on but with processes and ways of working with the team. We are encouraged to build networks across the various departments and territories allowing for collaboration, mentoring, team building and exploring new skillsets. Emma Keaney our development manager is a role model for women in tech, she provides you with the confidence to succeed through coaching and support as well as the challenges which take you out of your comfort zone and build up confidence.

Something Tunstall does very well is recognising where skillsets are transferable and encouraging on the job training. I had an unusual route, but the support and training provided when I made the step from the response centre to the software department made it much easier than I expected.

A big part of thriving at work is in work life balance, our team at Tunstall offers a lot of flexibility with opportunities to work from home.  They are also open to new ideas and are committed to hearing from the colleagues with regular employee engagement surveys and our “one voice” forums. There is a sense of community built within the teams and there is a lot of company wide support for wellbeing, whether that is through the EAP access, volunteer days, mental health first aider access, the company wide support for the Tunstall Red January team (with colleagues participating in the challenge to support their own wellness journeys and fundraising for mental health charities), or even free fresh fruit Wednesday and healthy meal choices in the canteen!

The WIT community created by the company, although in its infancy, has connected women across the business sharing ideas, advice and resources; I cant wait to see what is next in this space.

Given your experiences, what advice would you give to women in technology regarding choosing the right employer?

I think this is always a difficult one, especially when I’ve stayed with my current employer so long.

Know what is important to you and use your recruitment process to make sure the company fits your needs and aligns with your values.

To what extent is possible, try and check whether the company values and commitments to diversity are also reflected in their policies.

Look for a company where women are not only visible, but also visible in leadership roles. Linked in is a great resource to see how the company portrays themselves, don’t be afraid to reach out to existing employees of prospective companies.

Oh, and know your worth! Do your research in market values and be prepared to negotiate – even the process itself will tell you a lot about the employer.

Need some guidance on how to be a progressive, inclusive employer?

 At Corecom Consulting, we provide a host of consultancy and training services to ensure that you are the best employer that you can be. Take a look here at how our Diversity & Inclusion Ambassadors can help your organisation.